Alert archive / Montana / Red Flag Warnings in 2018
Red Flag Warning 2, NWS Great Falls, MT
NWS Great Falls, MT issued this red flag warning at Jul 17, 2018, 2:01 PM MDT for 17 counties in Montana. It took effect at Jul 18, 2018, 12:00 PM MDT. It was in force for 9 hr. No storm report in the archive falls inside the area while it was in force.
The area
The counties it named.
The facts
- Issued
- Jul 17, 2018, 2:01 PM MDT (20:01 UTC)
- In effect from
- Jul 18, 2018, 12:00 PM MDT
- Expired
- Jul 18, 2018, 9:00 PM MDT
- In force
- 9 hr
- Issued by
- NWS Great Falls, MT
Counties Blaine County, MT, Broadwater County, MT, Cascade County, MT, Chouteau County, MT, Fergus County, MT, Gallatin County, MT, Glacier County, MT, Hill County, MT, Jefferson County, MT, Judith Basin County, MT, Lewis and Clark County, MT, Liberty County, MT, Meagher County, MT, Phillips County, MT, Pondera County, MT, Teton County, MT, Toole County, MT
The radar
The Great Falls radar (KTFX), 33 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 20:03 UTC, the scan nearest the moment this went out.
Open the radar archive at this moment
The archived warnings, watches and discussions in force at that minute are drawn over the scan, this one among them.
The nearest sounding before it
Great_falls, MT (KTFX), launched 12:00Z, 8.0 hours before the alert went out and 30 km from the middle of its area. This is the routine balloon launch nearest before it, the air the forecaster had in hand, not a measurement taken for the alert.
- Mixed-layer CAPE
- 82 J/kg
- Mixed-layer CIN
- -216 J/kg
- Mixed-layer LCL
- 2528 m above ground
- 0-6 km bulk shear
- 13 kt
- 0-1 km storm-relative helicity
- -2 m²/s²
- 0-3 km storm-relative helicity
- -48 m²/s²
- Significant tornado parameter
- 0.0
- Supercell composite
- 0.0
The text
As transmitted.
685 WWUS85 KTFX 172001 RFWTFX URGENT - FIRE WEATHER MESSAGE National Weather Service Great Falls MT 201 PM MDT Tue Jul 17 2018 MTZ112>115-117-118-181115- /O.UPG.KTFX.FW.A.0002.180718T1800Z-180719T0300Z/ /O.NEW.KTFX.FW.W.0002.180718T1800Z-180719T0300Z/ Eastern Glacier/Toole/Central/Eastern Pondera/Liberty- Hill and Blaine Counties- Lewis and Clark National Forest Rocky Mountain District- Rocky Mountain Front-Chouteau and Fergus Counties- Central and Eastern Lewis and Clark National Forest Areas- Helena and Townsend Ranger Districts of the Helena National Forest- 201 PM MDT Tue Jul 17 2018 ...RED FLAG WARNING IN EFFECT FROM NOON TO 9 PM MDT WEDNESDAY FOR LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY FOR FIRE WEATHER ZONES 112, 113, 114, 115, 117 AND 118... The National Weather Service in Great Falls has issued a Red Flag Warning for low relative humidity, which is in effect from noon to 9 PM MDT Wednesday. The Fire Weather Watch is no longer in effect. * AFFECTED AREA...In Montana, Fire Weather Zones 112 Eastern Glacier/Toole/Central/Eastern Pondera/Liberty, 113 Hill and Blaine Counties, 114 Lewis and Clark National Forest Rocky Mountain District-Rocky Mountain Front, 115 Chouteau and Fergus Counties, 117 Central and Eastern Lewis and Clark National Forest Areas and 118 Helena and Townsend Ranger Districts of the Helena National Forest. * WINDS...West 10 to 20 mph with gusts up to 30 mph. * TIMING...Wednesday afternoon through evening. * RELATIVE HUMIDITY...As low as 10 percent. * TEMPERATURES...In the lower 90s. * IMPACTS...Low humidity and gusty west winds could create critical fire weather conditions over lower land grass locations. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... A Red Flag Warning means that critical fire weather conditions are either occurring now, or will shortly. A combination of strong winds, low relative humidity, and warm temperatures can contribute to extreme fire behavior. Please advise the appropriate officials or fire crews in these areas of this Red Flag Warning. && $$ http://www.weather.gov/greatfalls
3 follow-up statements
188 WWUS85 KTFX 180436 RFWTFX URGENT - FIRE WEATHER MESSAGE National Weather Service Great Falls MT 1036 PM MDT Tue Jul 17 2018 MTZ112>115-117-118-181800- /O.CON.KTFX.FW.W.0002.180718T1800Z-180719T0300Z/ Eastern Glacier/Toole/Central/Eastern Pondera/Liberty- Hill and Blaine Counties- Lewis and Clark National Forest Rocky Mountain District- Rocky Mountain Front-Chouteau and Fergus Counties- Central and Eastern Lewis and Clark National Forest Areas- Helena and Townsend Ranger Districts of the Helena National Forest- 1036 PM MDT Tue Jul 17 2018 ...RED FLAG WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM NOON TO 9 PM MDT WEDNESDAY FOR LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY FOR FIRE WEATHER ZONES 112, 113, 114, 115, 117 AND 118... * AFFECTED AREA...In Montana, Fire Weather Zones 112 Eastern Glacier/Toole/Central/Eastern Pondera/Liberty, 113 Hill and Blaine Counties, 114 Lewis and Clark National Forest Rocky Mountain District-Rocky Mountain Front, 115 Chouteau and Fergus Counties, 117 Central and Eastern Lewis and Clark National Forest Areas and 118 Helena and Townsend Ranger Districts of the Helena National Forest. For all districts, the Red Flag Warning is for lower elevation grassland locations. * WINDS...West 15 to 25 mph, with gusts up to 35 mph. * TIMING...Wednesday afternoon through evening. * RELATIVE HUMIDITY...As low as 10 percent. * TEMPERATURES...Mid-80s to mid-90s. * IMPACTS...Low humidity and gusty west winds will create critical fire weather conditions over lower elevation grassland locations. Any spark, man-made or nature-caused, may cause a fire to start. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... A Red Flag Warning means that critical fire weather conditions are either occurring now, or will shortly. A combination of strong winds, low relative humidity, and warm temperatures can contribute to extreme fire behavior. Please advise the appropriate officials or fire crews in these areas of this Red Flag Warning. && Moldan $$ http://www.weather.gov/greatfalls
485 WWUS85 KTFX 180940 RFWTFX URGENT - FIRE WEATHER MESSAGE National Weather Service Great Falls MT 340 AM MDT Wed Jul 18 2018 MTZ112>115-117-118-190300- /O.CON.KTFX.FW.W.0002.180718T1800Z-180719T0300Z/ Eastern Glacier/Toole/Central/Eastern Pondera/Liberty- Hill and Blaine Counties- Lewis and Clark National Forest Rocky Mountain District- Rocky Mountain Front-Chouteau and Fergus Counties- Central and Eastern Lewis and Clark National Forest Areas- Helena and Townsend Ranger Districts of the Helena National Forest- 340 AM MDT Wed Jul 18 2018 ...RED FLAG WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM NOON TODAY TO 9 PM MDT THIS EVENING FOR LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY FOR FIRE WEATHER ZONES 112, 113, 114, 115, 117 AND 118... * AFFECTED AREA...In Montana, Fire Weather Zones 112 Eastern Glacier/Toole/Central/Eastern Pondera/Liberty, 113 Hill and Blaine Counties, 114 Lewis and Clark National Forest Rocky Mountain District-Rocky Mountain Front, 115 Chouteau and Fergus Counties, 117 Central and Eastern Lewis and Clark National Forest Areas and 118 Helena and Townsend Ranger Districts of the Helena National Forest. For all districts, the Red Flag Warning is for lower elevation grassland locations. * WINDS...West 15 to 25 mph, with gusts up to 35 mph. * TIMING...Wednesday afternoon through evening. * RELATIVE HUMIDITY...As low as 10 percent. * TEMPERATURES...Mid-80s to mid-90s. * IMPACTS...Low humidity and gusty west winds will create critical fire weather conditions over lower elevation grassland locations. Any spark, man-made or nature-caused, may cause a fire to start. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... A Red Flag Warning means that critical fire weather conditions are either occurring now, or will shortly. A combination of strong winds, low relative humidity, and warm temperatures can contribute to extreme fire behavior. Please advise the appropriate officials or fire crews in these areas of this Red Flag Warning. && $$ http://www.weather.gov/greatfalls
879 WWUS85 KTFX 190246 RFWTFX URGENT - FIRE WEATHER MESSAGE National Weather Service Great Falls MT 846 PM MDT Wed Jul 18 2018 MTZ112>115-117-118-190400- /O.EXP.KTFX.FW.W.0002.000000T0000Z-180719T0300Z/ Eastern Glacier/Toole/Central/Eastern Pondera/Liberty- Hill and Blaine Counties- Lewis and Clark National Forest Rocky Mountain District- Rocky Mountain Front-Chouteau and Fergus Counties- Central and Eastern Lewis and Clark National Forest Areas- Helena and Townsend Ranger Districts of the Helena National Forest- 846 PM MDT Wed Jul 18 2018 ...RED FLAG WARNING WILL EXPIRE AT 9 PM MDT THIS EVENING FOR FIRE WEATHER ZONES 112, 113, 114, 115, 117 AND 118... Humidity has generally increased above 20 percent across much of north-central and central Montana this evening though some areas still remain below 20 percent. Winds have diminished and widespread critical fire weather conditions are no longer expected this evening. $$ http://www.weather.gov/greatfalls
The office that day
Everything else NWS Great Falls, MT issued on the same UTC day.
| Issued | Product | Office | Counties | Lasted |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jul 16, 7:38 PM MDT | Special Weather Statement | TFX | Judith Basin | 37 min |
| Jul 17, 12:23 PM MDT | Special Weather Statement | TFX | Judith Basin | 22 min |
| Jul 17, 12:35 PM MDT | Flash Flood Warning | TFX | Cascade, Judith Basin | 115 min |
| Jul 17, 12:59 PM MDT | Special Weather Statement | TFX | Judith Basin | 31 min |
| Jul 17, 5:12 PM MDT | Special Weather Statement | TFX | Hill | 48 min |
| Jul 17, 5:27 PM MDT | Special Weather Statement | TFX | Fergus | 48 min |
Nearby
Red Flag Warnings in Montana, 2018Every red flag warning in 2018
Sources
The product and its follow-ups from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service and Storm Prediction Center text; the sounding from the Mesonet's radiosonde archive; radar from the NEXRAD Level II archive.